WC fire ruled electrical in nature

The blaze that heavily damaged a West Cocalico home last Friday night was ruled as an electrical fire.

According to Denver Fire Company Captain John Weaver, East Cocalico Township, Fire Marshall Brian Dilliplaine made the determination of the cause of the fire which started at 160 Kline Road while residents James J. and Audrey Stoner were out of town.

As previously published in the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, Denver Fire Company Deputy Chief Shawn Hilton said a state police trooper driving nearby on the Pennsylvania Turnpike called 911 at 11 p.m. after spotting the blaze. The bilevel house was engulfed in flames when the first of about 50 firefighters arrived.

Hilton said two cars were in the garage and there were lights on in the house, so firefighters thought someone might have been trapped inside. They quickly searched the home and found no people or pets.

According to Hilton, firefighters extinguished the flames in about 20 minutes using a water gun mounted on an engine and hand lines to extinguish the fire.

Because of dry conditions, county officials enacted a burn ban on Friday. An absence of wind kept flames from spreading to the woods, Hilton explained.

James Stoner said he was at his hunting cabin in Lycoming County when the fire struck. No one was injured in the blaze, but Hilton estimated damage at about $100,000 to the home and $20,000 to its contents.